The New Halakah (walk, law) Paul’s Prayer for Us Ephesians 3:14-21
Prayer and our walk. Have you ever wondered how to pray?
Or what are the elements that pleases God in prayer? In our passage this morning we have Paul’s prayer for the Believers at Ephesus.
A model prayer – Many students of the Bible believe these verses contain one of the most important models for prayer in the Bible, second only to the Lord’s model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).
The elements of Prayer – Like the prayer of Yeshua Paul’s prayer is a model for the essential elements of prayer. In this prayer Paul makes four requests.
1. That God might rule in our hearts 2. To know and share the love of God 3. That we might be filled by God 4. That all that is done be for God’s glory.
1. God’s rule in our hearts – We need to allow Yeshua to rule our lives He does this through the Holy Spirit.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:16-17
2. His work in our Inner Being – The ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives is absolutely essential to live a godly life. Why? Because we cannot live a godly life in our own strength, by our own power. It is through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit, that God in Messiah continues the work of Israel’s King on earth.
3. God’s Plan for the World – The God of Israel has a plan for the world. That plan today is accomplished through His Body, the church. The church (Body of Believers) has replaced the Temple as His presence on earth which is Jews and Gentiles made one in Him. The Church which was something totally new.
4. God’s synchronism – In order for us to be in sync with what God wants to do through us. We must be filled, empowered and led by His Spirit. We each have a choice to make: will we live in our own strength or will we “live by the Spirit” Two Ways to Walk Galatians 5:16-17.
The Blessing – There is a great incentive to be filled, led and empowered by God’s Spirit: The fruit of the Spirit include joy, love, patience, kindness, gentleness goodness and self control (Galatians 5:22) Living and abiding in the Spirit brings true and lasting joy!
How the Spirit fills us – Paul adds, in v 17 “so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. Yeshua and the filling of His Spirit comes into our lives through faith. The way faith is strengthened is through His Word
The way of the Spirit – The Bible teaches that faith is not just a head-knowledge. It is a heart-acceptance that is evidenced in a lifestyle commitment. Paul uses a word for “dwell” which means to live or abide permanently. Israel’s King will dwell in any human heart that welcomes Him.
The Lord wants to dwell with us – How would you react if you got a phone call tomorrow from the King of Kings asking if he could move in to your home? What rooms would you want to clean? Probably every room. If we will let Him God’s Spirit will do the cleaning.
Paul’s 2nd request – To know and share the love of God which is revealed in Messiah Yeshua. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, … to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Messiah and to know this love that surpasses knowledge. Ephesians 3:17b-19a
Praying we might know that word “know” in Ephesians 3:19 is to experience, to embrace. Paul is praying for a practical impossibility… That we would understand something we aren’t able to understand. Like going outside on a dark night and looking up into the sky above, and realizing that God’s love for us is bigger and more infinite than that!
The Wonder of His Love – Through God’s Word and His Spirit we begin to comprehend our sinfulness. We also learn of how much He loves us knowing us better than we know ourselves. We don’t deserve His love… but He loves us anyway! That’s Paul’s prayer for us … not just to understand his love…But to experience it, embrace it, and in response surrender.
Fulfilling Deuteronomy 6:5 – Loving God with all our heart. When we comprehend what God did in Yeshua on Passover 2000 years ago. It is the Love of God that motivates us to yield our lives to Him. it is only by, by His Holy Spirit that we can comprehend God’s love.
The 3rd part of Paul’s prayer – In Ephesians 3:19 Paul prays that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Paul is praying that we will be overwhelmed by the presence of God. So that there is nothing left of ourselves.
Jim Elliot -Wheaton Grad Jim Elliot who lost his when he was killed by the Auca Indians in South America said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Most of the tribe later came to faith through the ministry of those who survived and Jim’s family.
Paul’s 4th request Paul last request is this: Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Messiah Yeshua to all generations, forever and ever Amen.
Purpose of 4th prayer – To draw attention to the one behind the veil who makes the kind of life we cannot live on our own possible. When we live a life that we cannot live on our own. The world will begin to see: What We and the world will see Him Who is able – That God is able to be a very present help in our times of struggle. To Do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think. We and the world will see God Do incredible things. No matter the challenge God can make lemonade out of lemons, healing our hurts. What We and the world will see EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY BEYOND: three straight superlatives.
BEYOND ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK: More than our minds can imagine. How will we respond? Will I let the God of Israel, through His Messiah, rule my life? Will I be a person rooted and established in the love of God which is found in Yeshua? Will I make His will my will? Will I see God-sized possibilities?
How will we respond? The choice is ours will we embrace and pray this simple prayer of Paul’s? There is a faith that can brings salvation, atonement, and eternal life, but then there is a faith that can change the world? Do you want just a saving faith or do you want a transforming faith, a supernatural faith? How will we respond? Narrow is the road that leads to life and few there are who find it. But if you seek it you will find. If you pray this prayer God will answer it, and your life will never be the same.
